


Voice of the Deep

by orphan_account



Series: Neo Culture Mythology (kind of) [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Fluff, Greek Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Sirens, haechan has wings, i don't think there's angst?, jaemin is barely in this, mark just wants to be a good traveler, renjun is just trying to be a good friend, why did I write this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 21:24:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14819145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Mark desperately wants to flee the city and Donghyuck desperately wants to flee the island. Or, Donghyuck is sick of being a siren and Mark offers a way out.





	Voice of the Deep

**Author's Note:**

> This is loosely based on Greek myth, but I took some liberties. (ie; Donghyuck has a human body, it's set in the present, etc.) Also, even though it's set in the present, it's still an alternate universe in terms of countries and things of that sort. I'm planning on writing a sequel with Renjun as the main character and three other points of view but we'll see if I actually write it lol.

On an island dominated by myth and poisoned with selfish motive, a siren painted the waves with his lyre. Sometimes his voice was an accompaniment, sometimes the soloist, but almost always smooth like gold. His wings folded in underneath his linen clothes and sand clung to his bare feet. He liked to stay by the shore, away from the truth of it all: who he was and his one purpose. To his delight, the sound of the crashing waves eventually drowned those thoughts out.

“Donghyuck,” a small voice whispered behind a tree. 

Donghyuck set his lyre down and turned towards the messenger. “Yes?”

The messenger’s white wings folded in nervously. “The Society Elders are willing to hear you.”

Donghyuck popped up from the sand. He’d wanted to meet with the Elders for almost a year now, desperate to make his case. He was sick of this island, trapped with the knowledge that his kind were one of the plagues of the world, constantly preying on the vulnerable.

Donghyuck followed the messenger through the winding foliage clutching his lyre to his chest. Surely the elders wouldn’t let him leave without a condition, or several at that. He knew he was valuable to them, in many ways, but he was older now with a far less warped perception of his world.

The messenger stopped at the edge of a circle of trees and bowed before running off. Donghyuck breathed in, reminding himself that if he couldn’t leave with permission, he’d simply have to leave without it.

He entered the circle of trees to see all four Elders with golden wings outstretched. The four pillars of strength of the Golden Wings Society.

“Please take a seat, Donghyuck.” The Head Elder folded their wings in and repositioned their lyre. Donghyuck didn’t miss the few feathers that resembled more gray than gold. 

“I’m ready to leave the island. I want to go to another sea.” That was a lie. Lie, lie, lie. Donghyuck didn’t even want to continue his “line of work”. He wanted to do something different, something that didn’t kill people. 

The elders whispered amongst themselves, obviously unhappy with his request. 

“Donghyuck, you do realize that you’re one of three young sirens on this island with golden wings, right?” Donghyuck nodded, understanding that he’d be denied. 

Another elder spoke up, voice shaky. “All of us are going to die soon, Donghyuck. You’ll have to stay here or else our kind will die out on this island.”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “You’re being dramatic. Our kind has adapted to everything. We used to have bird legs.”

The Head Elder stared him down, something shifting in her eyes. “Donghyuck,” she began gently. “I’ll make a deal with you. If you can finally lure a traveler, you can leave the island.”

The elders and Donghyuck whipped their heads up, surprised. “What?”

“Do you not want to leave?”

The thing was, Donghyuck did want to leave, but not this way. He’d previously avoided having to lure a traveler, but if this was the only way he’d be able to leave the island, it suddenly looked less unethical. 

Donghyuck picked up his lyre and grinned. “I’ll be waiting for a ship.”

**  
Mark threw another shirt into his bag, silently hoping that everything would fit. He was finally leaving the city, finally leaving the buzz behind. He was terrified. 

Mark shoved his bag aside and grabbed his notebook. He flipped past the diary entries and notes about ships, to the last four pages where he had glued pictures of sirens. Mark thought they were kind of ugly: wiry bird legs and bony human upper body, with sad looking wings. Initially, they looked pitiful, but the more you looked the more you saw a vicious streak. 

Sirens were the reason why Mark’s family was reluctant to send him away in the first place. Legend said that they lingered on islands in the sea, their voices enticing travelers to jump ship. The only way to avoid them was to strap yourself below deck. 

Mark shut his journal and threw that into his bag too. He loved the blue of the sea, but not the voices within in it. 

Mark’s phone rang from his bedside table. “Hello?” he answered.

“You’ll be at the dock at noon, right?” Johnny asked from the other side of the line.

Mark laughed. “Stop worrying, I won’t be late. I’m hoping that this trip will run smoothly.”

Johnny sighed. “Me too. Just know you’re lucky that I got you a spot on the crew-”

“-considering you’re one of the youngest captains in the city. I know,” Mark finished. Johnny always had a bad habit for worrying and an even worse habit of worrying for Mark. 

Mark had never really blended well into the cityscape despite being born into it, meaning that Johnny had always made it his duty to “protect” Mark. Mark didn’t really need the protection but it always made Johnny and his parents sleep better at night.

“Okay, just be there on time, alright? I know you really want to go.”

Going out to sea was something Mark had wanted to do ever since he saw water. Being in the city was too fast, too loud, and too crowded. Not once in his entire life had he ever had a quiet thought. But the sea… it was wide and quiet and blue. The waves folded into each other as if attracted to the next. The sea was a seamless dream. An out.

Mark reassured him once more before hanging up. Now, how many more shirts could he fit into his bag?

**

One thing that Mark overlooked in his grand life goal of traveling on the open sea was the big chance that he could suffer from seasickness. A fact that didn’t make itself known until Mark was leaning over the deck, throat dry from days of vomiting. 

“Are you sure you don’t want one of those patches?” Jeno, another crew member asked. Jeno was ridiculously nice, always covering for Mark when nausea hit or feeding him an endless supply of saltine crackers. 

Mark shook his head. “Those patches don’t work, dude. They’re just annoying.”

“Well, we’re entering a Siren zone so you’re gonna have to calm your stomach down,” Jeno said pointing to the crew members already headed to the lower decks and cabins. 

Mark groaned. Sure, he didn’t want to die, but every time the water rippled just a bit, his stomach was close to killing him. 

“All crew members on the upper decks need to go to safety immediately. We are quickly approaching a Siren zone,” Johnny’s voice carried throughout the ship. 

Jeno gave Mark another look before walking towards the stairs. “Come on!”

Mark’s feet did a poor job of dragging him towards the stairs, the soles melting into the deck. The heat from the afternoon sun made his vision shaky, blurring the lines of color and safety. He fell onto the deck, hoping to regain a bit of strength, but his body was failing him. 

A note broke through. 

It was clear and sharp and so beautiful that Mark’s stomach paused from the gurgling and settled. An instrument was being played in the distance, just as enticing. Mark could vaguely make out Johnny’s voice on the speakers, desperately asking where Mark was, but that was secondary to this music.

Mark was entranced as a glow wrapped itself around his mind pulling him towards the edge. The voice was pure and enchanting; it was stirring every emotion inside of him. 

Before he realized that the voice was a vice, he tipped himself over the edge, desperate to melt into the alluring waves.

**

Being a member of the Society had its perks. For one, the bedrooms at the headquarters were very comfortable. And very suffocating. 

The members were only allowed to have certain items in their rooms like books, or instruments. Donghyuck only had a lyre, a few journals, and a piano. The Society relied on Donghyuck to produce the most alluring songs in order to throw travelers off. He was the only Siren truly gifted in music. He was the Society’s most valuable member. 

Donghyuck hadn’t left his room in days, desperate to produce a tune so beautiful, so gentle, that even he would throw himself into the sea. He was failing; nothing seemed to be right. He was halfway through another failed attempt when someone knocked on the door. 

“Come in,” Donghyuck said, stroking his lyre sadly. 

Andromeda, one of the other young members of the Society walked in. “There’s a ship approaching. Are you ready, or do you want to wait?”

Donghyuck looked up, startled. “What?”

Andromeda straightened up. “There’s a ton of people on board, plus a few new crew members. There’s literally no way you can fail.”

Andromeda was all about statistics and facts. She was amazing at retaining information about ships and travel schedules and tides. Donghyuck knew he could trust her. 

“How long before another ship approaches?”

She smirked. “There’s going to be a tropical storm this week. This is your chance, golden boy.”

After fumbling with his official robes and an old pair of sandals, Donghyuck rushed out of the headquarters towards the beach. He could see a huge ship nearing the shore, way too close to the island. 

Donghyuck held up his lyre and calmed his nerves. His conscience would be okay. It had to be. 

He stroked the lyre and sang a clear note. He sang the tune he used to sing when he was desperate to leave, longing for a home he had never seen. He closed his eyes and envisioned a place like a city, where all the ships came from. Somewhere loud, somewhere busy, somewhere so crowded that he blended into the scape. 

He heard something drop into the ocean. 

Donghyuck paused for thirty seconds before his conscience decided that this was really unethical. Donghyuck peeled off his robes and sandals and jumped into the sea. He wasn’t used to swimming; he rarely had to save a traveler that he lured in. 

After grasping at nothing for what seemed like forever, his hands made contact with skin. He pulled the body up and swam towards the beach. 

It was a boy. He wasn’t very young, but young enough to be Donghyuck’s age. 

Donghyuck hit his chest and did some other things that seemed like the right thing and when it looked as if he was breathing, Donghyuck got dressed again and prepared to leave. 

“Are you an angel?” Donghyuck stopped walking. He was conscious. 

Donghyuck turned and retraced his steps back to the boy. “No, I’m actually the opposite.”

“But you’re wearing white and you have gold wings. You saved me too.”

Donghyuck noticed that the boy blinked rapidly when he was scared. His eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. 

Donghyuck sighed. The poor thing was about to get his heart broken. “I’m a siren.”

Instead of an outward display of fear the boy shook his head. “But sirens are ugly. You’re not ugly.”

Donghyuck widened his eyes. His looks had never been complimented before and the current situation made him even more embarrassed. 

“Do you honestly believe that all sirens look like hybrid chicken-humans? Of course I’m not ugly.”

The boy sat up, realizing something. “Where’s my ship?”

Donghyuck looked out towards the sea and saw nothing but the waves. “Well obviously not here.”

“What? How am I supposed to get home? Johnny must be so worried. Oh my god my parents-,”

Donghyuck punched his arm. “Can you shut up? I’ve got to figure out where to put you.”

It had finally set in that this boy was not dead and that Donghyuck was trapped on the island. If the Elders found out that he saved him… He had to hide him. 

Donghyuck faced the boy again. “What’s your name?”

He blinked. “Um, Mark.”

Donghyuck stood and pulled the boy up to do the same. “Well, Mark, are you claustrophobic?”

 

**

“So basically, this will be the worst tropical storm seen in this hemisphere since twenty years ago,” Andromeda explained while showing Donghyuck a graph of weather patterns on her laptop. To be honest, Donghyuck was more interested in the actual device than the images displayed on it. Andromeda was the only siren allowed to use technology to track weather and ship routes. 

“That’s really interesting, Andromeda, but I really need to finish this piece I’ve been working on,” Donghyuck stood up and gently pushed her towards the door. 

She was almost out of the door when she paused. “Hey, did your wardrobe just sneeze?”

Donghyuck froze. Why was Mark so obvious? Couldn’t he suppress a freaking sneeze? 

“Um, no. I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow morning, Andromeda,” With that he slammed the door and turned the lock. 

After making sure that Andromeda’s footsteps had faded down the hallway, Donghyuck yanked open the door to his wardrobe. Mark was crouched between hangers with white linen clothes, a grimace on his face. 

“Mark,” Donghyuck began. 

“I tried to be quiet but the sand on one of your shirts got in my nose. I have a sensitive nasal cavity,” Mark interrupted before sprawling out on Donghyuck’s bed. 

After realizing that Mark couldn’t survive in a wardrobe for however long he’d have to stay on the island, Donghyuck had been going mad figuring out ways to hide him in his room. At first, Donghyuck desperately wanted Mark to disappear, but, now that he was here, he realized that maybe he had been lonely. He’d never tell him that though. 

“Get off of my bed,” Donghyuck said shoving Mark into the floor. “I’m sick of having to tell you that every night.”

Mark frowned from his place on the hardwood floor. “That kind of hurt.”

“Good.” Donghyuck fell into the pillows, sleep beginning to wash over him. 

“Hey, Donghyuck.” Donghyuck’s eyes opened slightly. 

“Yeah?” He hummed. 

“Can you take me to the beach?”

**

Though Donghyuck told Mark several times they were not going to leave his room, he eventually gave in and the two were sat in the same spot they had met. 

Mark pulled a borrowed linen shirt closer to him, feeling the chill that came with nighttime air. Seeing his clothes on Mark made Donghyuck feel odd. Why did he look better than him in a plain shirt? 

The sea looked a lot different at night than during the day; the blue blended into a black shade that seemed to swallow light. No ships had passed by because of the upcoming storm, but when they did there was a hesitance, a remnant of a childhood fear of the dark. 

“This is nothing like the city. It’s so quiet here, and fresh, and whole. The whole reason why I joined the crew was so I could see a place like this, but I never thought I’d have to almost die to experience it,” Mark said, a content look passing over his eyes. 

Donghyuck cringed at the reminder that he had nearly led Mark to his death. Besides living with guilt, Donghyuck had to contend with the fact that he had to meet with the Council in a few days. He had considered lying, which would’ve been possible if he wasn’t going to be subjected to a lie detector test. He was trapped. 

Mark ran a hand through his hair. “You know, I don’t hate you. For like making me jump or whatever. I mean you saved my life and I’m able to see an island like this. I’m almost grateful.”

Donghyuck laughed, not quite feeling it. In the days that he’d been around Mark he realized that Mark was nicer than he needed to be. He constantly made Donghyuck overthink his actions in a sort of What Would Mark Do? way. 

Despite the massive dent Mark was carving into Donghyuck’s conscience, he had grown attached to him. The thought was almost scary, definitely scarier than the possibility of being exiled by the Council. 

A horrifying sound coming from Mark’s stomach reminded Donghyuck that he hadn’t eaten since morning. With every passing day it became more and more obvious that Donghyuck was certainly lacking in his ability to care of others.

Donghyuck stood and brushed the sand from his pants. “Come on, you need to eat. After that you have to go to bed.”

Mark laughed, the contours of his face scrunching together. Donghyuck followed the curve of a smile line all the way to his eye, distracted. “You sound like my mom,” Mark breathed out.

Though Donghyuck had spent the entirety of his childhood being teased by Andromeda and Renjun, the other golden-winged siren, he had never felt an embarrassment like this. He wanted to find the nearest wave and drown in it. 

“Shut up, I don’t want to you starve to death. When sirens kill people they do it with style and class.”

Mark laughed again, his shoulders shaking. “Sophisticated murder?”

Donghyuck nodded, trying to suppress a grin. “Definitely.”

Mark sighed and stood. “Please don’t feed me peacock again.”

“Tsk tsk, such a picky eater.”

Mark turned towards Donghyuck, a sad look in his eyes. “Will you give me something else though?”

Donghyuck feigned annoyance. “Mark, if you don’t-”

With that, Mark ran off, daring Donghyuck to chase him. And he did, inconvenient golden wings and all.

**

When Mark woke up the next morning he was in Donghyuck’s bed. Which came as a surprise because he was usually kicked out (literally) in the middle of the night. Mark looked to his right and saw Donghyuck sleeping peacefully, not making a single sound. Rays of sunlight that filtered in through the open window highlighted the honey undertones of his skin. He was glowing.

The only disappointing part about being away from home was that Mark didn’t actually miss it at all. The weather was nice on the island, the food was nice, the clothes were nice, Donghyuck was… a bundle of emotions that needed to be dealt with later.

But everything about this experience was so unimaginable, so out of the ordinary, that it seemed perfectly normal to him. Though the city offered a steady flow of new things, the air surrounding Donghyuck was more refreshing than any new phone.

Donghyuck pried his eyes open, slightly red from sleep. “Why are you in my bed?” He whispered. 

Mark shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Donghyuck stared at Mark for a few moments, as if he was figuring out a new theory of science. After the staring passed the stage of awkward, it soon became really uncomfortable. Mark laughed, a rush of blood flowing to his cheeks. 

“What are you looking at?”

“A penguin.” Donghyuck said, rolling his eyes. “You, dummy, I’m looking at you.”

“Why?”

“Because I can. Because it’s fun. Because I like it.” Donghyuck brushed a strand of hair out of Mark’s eyes, his hands warm.

“Why are you so obsessed with me?” Mark teased, catching Donghyuck’s hand in his own.

“Shouldn’t I be saying that?” Donghyuck said, a blush coating the apples of his cheeks.

“Neither of you should be saying that. This isn’t Ogygia, Donghyuck, and you’re not Calypso. Now, tell me why a normal human is in your room.”

Mark and Donghyuck sat up and in the doorway stood Renjun, another future member of the Golden Wings Society. A look of fear washed over Donghyuck and Mark quickly calculated how long it would take for him to climb out of the window.

Donghyuck got up and shuffled towards Renjun, maneuvering both of them into the hallway. “I’ll tell you everything, Renjun. But I have to be able to trust you. Please,” Mark overheard Donghyuck whisper.

“Just tell me the truth.”

“Okay.” Donghyuck shut the door and suddenly Mark wished he was enveloped in the cold waves again, embraced by the siren’s voice.

 

**

Renjun crossed his arms, a blank look on his face. “Donghyuck, you know better. Please tell me you know better.”

Donghyuck dragged a hand across his eyes. “Yes, Renjun, I know better, it’s just-”, Donghyuck paused, struggling to explain. How could he tell his best friend that he wasn’t strong enough to let Mark die? That he wanted to rip his wings off everyday and just fucking leave. How could he tell him that?

Renjun laughed without joy. “It’s just, what?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

Renjun grabbed Donghyuck’s arm and pulled him in the direction of Andromeda’s room. “Well, you’re going to have to explain yourself to Andromeda then.”

Renjun brought a fist to her door and knocked loudly. She yanked the door open, annoyed.

“What do you two idiots want now?”

Renjun pushed past her and shoved Donghyuck into the room. Diagrams were strewn across her floor of weather patterns and cold fronts. Her laptop was propped open on her unmade bed, her curtains pulled.

“Donghyuck saved a traveler,” Renjun said as he pushed the curtains open and started tidying up her bed. 

“You did what?” Andromeda turned towards Donghyuck. “You’re so dead. Like literally.”

Donghyuck groaned and fell onto the bed, face down. “I didn’t mean to.”

Andromeda slapped the back of his head. “What are you even saying? Sirens mean to do everything.”

Renjun plopped down next to Donghyuck. “I think Hyuck likes him.”

Donghyuck sprang up. “Now that’s a reach. I don’t even know him.”

Andromeda narrowed her eyes. “Was that the sneeze I heard in your wardrobe yesterday?”

Donghyuck looked away and nodded. 

“Oh my… Donghyuck you’re screwed.”

Donghyuck looked up at her and tried to blink back tears. Why was he crying? Exile wasn’t that bad. Right?

“Can’t he just leave today? How many ships are passing through today?” Renjun asked, sensing the seriousness of the situation. 

Andromeda laughed soullessly. “None. The tropical storm starts passing through this afternoon.” Andromeda laid a hand on Donghyuck’s shoulder. “If the Council finds out, you know they’ll kill him and exile you, right?”

At that, Donghyuck felt a tear drop down his cheek. “I know,” he whispered. 

Renjun glared at her. “Andromeda, he knows all that. He just needs our help, okay? So let’s help him.” Renjun wiped a tear from Donghyuck’s cheek. “Bring the boy in here. We’ve got a plan to figure out.”

**  
After Renjun had brought Mark into Andromeda’s room, a silence was laid over them. That and the sound of violent rainfall. 

“Whoa. Is it supposed to rain all day?” Mark said. Renjun narrowed his eyes in disbelief while Andromeda’s face lit up.

“Actually, a tropical storm is passing through this week. Here, let me show you my graphs,” She said and the two began to examine a graph on her laptop.

Renjun shut the laptop, annoyed. “Mark, I don’t know if you’ve realized or not, but you have to leave. Hyuck’s life is in danger, so shut up and listen to us.”

“Renjun,” Donghyuck scolded, a warning tone is his voice. Renjun was his best friend, basically his brother, but the way he handled certain situations was… poor.

Mark smiled at Donghyuck, his face crinkling up. “No, it’s fine. What’s the plan?”

“Well, after the storm passes that means ships can pass through. I’ve tracked the phone records of your ship -please do not ask how- and they are planning to pass through this area again in search of you. So, please, please, stay low,” Andromeda pleaded.

Mark looked around the room, confusion dotting his features. “What about Hyuck?”

What about him? What was Mark about to suggest? Donghyuck looked up at him with wide eyes.

Renjun narrowed his eyes. “What about Hyuck?”

Mark rubbed the back of his neck, a blush spreading to his cheeks and ears. Donghyuck tried not to find it cute. 

“I mean, I can’t be the only one who sees that he kind of hates it here, right?” 

Donghyuck felt his heart rate speed up. Part of him liked Mark even more for being able to see something that his friends hadn’t, and the other part was terrified that his friends would hate him for it.

Renjun whipped his head towards Donghyuck, an indecipherable expression on his face. “What is he talking about? You love it here, right?”

Andromeda looked up at Donghyuck, hopeful. But, Donghyuck had to be honest.

Donghyuck leaned back into the bed and looked at Mark. He gave an encouraging nod and Donghyuck started to tell his friends the truth. All of it.

“I made a deal with the Council. If I could lure a traveler, then I could leave. But, that obviously didn’t happen,” Donghyuck trailed off as he fiddled with the sheets. He could feel Renjun’s disappointed gaze burn into his skull, and Andromeda cleared her throat several times.

Finally, “Oh. Thanks for being honest, Hyuck.”

“Yeah. Thanks for sharing,” Andromeda mumbled. Donghyuck’s heart crumbled.

Mark grabbed Donghyuck’s hand, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Donghyuck can leave with me, can’t he?”

“Mark,” Donghyuck started, a nervous feeling in his stomach. Mark was getting his hopes up.

“What? Isn’t that what you want, Hyuck?” Mark almost looked disappointed and Donghyuck felt his heart shake. 

“It’s just, would you want me to go?” Donghyuck looked down at Mark’s hands on his own and a sliver of doubt trickled in. He was still sure that Mark secretly hated him and wanted to kill him, but really, Donghyuck didn’t want that because Mark was cute and listened really well.

Renjun nudged Andromeda in the direction of the door. “Let’s give them some space. We can prep the basement for the storm.” Andromeda nodded in agreement and the two walked out.

“Donghyuck,” Mark started again, hesitance in his tone. “I don’t know, if like I should say this, because it’s super stupid, and like makes no sense at all, but-”

“Mark, please speak in coherent sentences.”

Mark scrunched up his eyebrows and seemed to be preparing himself for a huge confession. Donghyuck held his breath. 

“I’m really glad you don’t have bird legs,” Mark blurted out. Donghyuck shook with laughter, tears forming in his eyes. It was obvious that Mark was nervous, but Donghyuck wasn’t going to give him a hard time. Well, an exceptionally hard time.

Donghyuck grinned. “What would you do if I had bird legs?”

At that point, Mark’s face was so red, he looked like a sunburnt Renjun. “I-I mean, that’s kind of beastiality. But, you would still be cute!” 

Donghyuck leaned into Mark’s side, his stomach sore from laughter. “I get what you mean, Mark. I was going to say the same thing.”

“Thank goodness,” Mark whispered.

“Just checking, but what are your thoughts on my wings?”

**  
By nighttime, the four of them had went down to the basement (cellar thing?) in Renjun’s room and were all snuggled in blankets, waiting for sleep and calm weather. Donghyuck had fallen asleep in minutes and Andromeda passed out soon after. 

Renjun looked up at the ceiling. “Mark?”

“Yeah?”

Renjun turned on his side to face Mark. “I don’t hate you, you know. I just care about Hyuck.”

In that moment, Mark missed Johnny. He missed someone older than him worrying about his safety. He missed his advice. Johnny was probably going insane with worry.

“No, I get it. Trust me.”

Mark made out Renjun’s face pulling into a smile in the dark. “When you leave, you have to take Hyuck. I don’t want him to be miserable, okay?”

“I will. I promise.” Whether or not Mark would leave with Donghyuck wasn’t even a choice in his mind, going back to a life sans Hyuck seemed impossible. 

Renjun flopped back onto his back and sighed. “In a few days I’ll have to call Jaemin to remove Hyuck’s wings, and then we’ll have to get around the schedules, and then-“

“Renjun,” Mark interrupted. “There’s four of us. You don’t have to worry alone.”

“Okay.”

After a few beats of silence, Mark heard a snore from Renjun. He was about to turn over on his side when Donghyuck snatched his waist. 

“I’m cold,” Donghyuck mumbled. 

Mark blushed and turned over to face Donghyuck. He opened his arms. Without a word, Donghyuck laid his head on Mark’s chest. 

As Mark felt the strands on Hyuck’s hair under his chin, he realized that he never really hated home. A part of it was just missing. 

**  
When Mark met Jaemin, he was certainly… taken aback. He was nearly friendlier than Jeno and almost as pretty as Donghyuck (But not quite.).

Jaemin patted Mark on the back as he left Donghyuck’s room, medical bag in tow. Jaemin has just removed Donghyuck’s wings and Mark had spent the entire time shutting his eyes and cringing. At some point, Donghyuck had to sing a melody to calm Mark down. 

“So, it doesn’t hurt?” Mark asked, eyeing the two white bandages on each of Donghyuck’s shoulder blades. 

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “You’re such a baby. I’m great at dealing with pain.”

Mark narrowed his eyes but said nothing. 

Donghyuck buttoned his shirt and stood. “Come on, Andromeda said the ship should be here soon.”

The two made their way out of headquarters, the cool night air passing through their linen clothes. 

“Are you nervous?” Mark asked as he carried Donghyuck’s bag full of old lyres and music sheets.

“Yeah.”

“Don’t worry. Johnny is great. He won’t hate you.”

Donghyuck nodded hesitantly and walked on. 

Mark promised to himself that he’d have to offer his life for a Renjun in an alternate universe. He had coordinated all of the times and locations to ensure they’d be able to leave without mishap. He was an angel. 

A huge ship made its way closer to the beach and Donghyuck waved Andromeda’s flashlight. It paused slightly, and Mark saw Johnny’s form rise from below deck. 

“Mark!” Johnny called out. “Stop the ship guys, our little man is alive!”

The crew members cheered and lowered the gangplank, Johnny running down. He tackled Mark in a hug that lasted several minutes. 

“I thought you were dead. Gosh, I was so worried,” Johnny said. It looked like a weight had been lifted from his chest. 

Mark disengaged himself from Johnny. “I’m fine Johnny. Really.” Mark gestured to Donghyuck. “This is Donghyuck. He’s the reason I’m alive.”

Donghyuck looked down at his sandals and blushed. 

Johnny patted Donghyuck’s shoulder. “Thank you. Seriously.”

“Is it okay if he tags along?” Mark asked. 

Johnny nodded, a gentle smile on his face. “Let’s go home, kids.”

 

**

Renjun had never used a laptop before, so it took him about an hour to figure out how to answer Hyuck’s video call. 

“Renjun!” Donghyuck gushed from behind the screen. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“I miss you too,” Renjun said. He really had. Andromeda was always working on weather stuff and Renjun had been preparing to assume his place on the Council, as the Head Elder was in declining health. Things had been pretty dismal the last few months. 

“What’ve you been up to?” Renjun asked. 

Donghyuck gestured behind him. “I got into the arts university I was telling you about! I moved into my dorm yesterday and now I’m just unpacking. I’m so excited, Renjun. How are things with you?”

Renjun laughed. “Boring. I’ve just been sitting in on Council meetings.”

Donghyuck frowned. “I’m sorry, Renjun.”

Renjun smiles and waved his hand. “I’m fine.”

The sound of a door opening could be heard from Donghyuck’s side of the screen. 

“Mark, what took you so long? I was starving!” Donghyuck scolded. 

“I failed the test, Hyuck.”

Donghyuck turned to Renjun. “He’s taking his captain certification test. It’s only the first time, so he’s fine,” Donghyuck reassured. 

Renjun smiled again, content at their dynamic. “I’m gonna go, Hyuck. We’ll talk later though?”

Donghyuck nodded and ended the call, but not before Renjun saw him kiss Mark’s forehead. 

Renjun was happy that Donghyuck’s conscience was at peace. He deserved it.


End file.
